Switch



Filed March 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l ////r B 7N v w. J2

iJVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 15, 1944. EW 2,341,837

SWITCH Filed March 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 g g 4;LVENTOR 5 TORNEY Patented ob, 1 1944 Harold Andrews, Stratlord, Conn., assignor to dwin G. Gaynor, Fall-field, Conn.

ApplicationMarch 12, 1942, Serial No. 434,319

employing fluorescent lamps.

An object of the invention is to provide a switch for the purpose stated and which is'designed for the starting or stopping of the functioning of the lainp and which single manual cent lamp fully open when the lamp is extinguished or when functioning of the lamp is stopped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from 'a scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, on a scale greater than actual size, of a switch made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the switch the view being taken as looking from the right of Fig. 1; r

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the opposite end of the switch;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, on a further enlarged scale, taken as along the plane of the line 44 of Fig. 5, but through a complete switch;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken as along the plane of the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken as along the plane of the line 5-6 of Fig. 4;

. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a support removed from the switch;

Fig. 81s a sectional view taken along the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 4;

5 Claims. (01.200-4) Fig; 9 isa bottom plan view of an element and i a bridging Piece carried thereby, the parts being removed from the-switch; and g Fig. 10 shows a wiring diagram with the switch incorporated in a fluorestent lighting system in accordance with the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings the switch of the invention comprises a housing generally designated l0. and including a body II, a lower or inner closure plate l2, and an upper or outer closure plate I 3. All of these parts are of insulating material. The closure plates l2 and B are held against the body I! by rivets l4 passing through the end portions rivets also pass through and secure in place a of spiral surface portions 24 To the latter purpose-a support 29 has a button- Iike extension 3|] projecting through an opening 2. relation to the button-like extension 33 above mentioned.

In the outer face of the body I I at opposite sides of and entering the recess l8 are elongated sockets 33 and 34. These sockets receive contacts 35 and 36 respectively and extend through one end of the body for the accommodation of lead wires 31 and 38 soldered or otherwise secured to the respective contacts 35 and 36. Contact 35 is bent upon itself intermediate its ends whereby it includes a bight portion 39 and a spring arm 43 the latter extending into the recess l8. Preferably the entire contact is of spring metal and its bight portion 39 has a tight fit in the inner end portion of the socket 33 whereby the spring contact arm 43 is limited in its movement into the recess l8.

Contact 36 is also of spring metal and includes an end portion 4| forced into a slot-like end por- 34 and a spring arm 43 entering somewhat into the recess I8. From Fig. it will be clear that the contact arms 43 and 43 press against the ratchet-like peripherial edge of the element 23 and it will be clear that as said contact arms engage the edge portions 24 tion 42 of the socket of the element 23 there is a gap between the contacts 35 and 36 but that when the element 23 is given a turning movement to bring the portions 26 of the bridging piece 21 into positions to be engaged by said contact arms a circuit is closed between the said contacts and the lead wires 3'! and 38.

Reciprocable in the neck I6 is a. manuallyoperated member 44 in the form of a hollow push button open through its inner end. Inwardly pressed lugs 45 in the neck l6 enter into grooves 46in the sides of the push button whereby it is restrained against any turning movement in the neck and the said lugs in cooperation with the inner ends of the grooves 46 limit movement of the push button outwardly of the neck. Fixed against turning movement in the inner openend of the push button 44 is a flat plate or washer 41 having a, slot-like opening 48 therethrough. Plate 41 has flat or straight edge portions 49 disposed against similar edge portions of lugs 53 secured to or integral with the button and in this way the plate is held against turning movement in the button.

A spiral member 5| is formed by twisting a piece of fiat strip stock and one end of this member is'bent over to provide a hock-like part 52 entered into the button 44 through the slot 48 in the plate 41. Toward its lower or inner end the element 5| is provided with lateral shoulders 53 and at its inner end with a tab 54 entering into the socket 2| in the turnable element 23. Laterally of tab 54 the element 5| is provided with a pair of shoulders 55 which are adapted to successively engage the pairs of shoulders and 23 on the turnable element 23 when the tab 54 is in the socket 2| and successive turning rotary movements are imparted to the spiral ele ment 5| as will be described.

A coil spring 56 surrounds the spiral member 5| and bears at its outer end against the plate 41 and at its inner end against the shoulders 58 of the spiral membe whereby the inner end of the latter is maintained in position with its tab 54 in the socket 2| and with its shoulders 55 against the element 23 and in positions engaging or to engage the the latter. Coil spring 53 also serves to return the manual or push button 44 to its projected shoulders 22 and 23 of normal position on being released following movement from such position.

When the push button 44 is depressed or pushed inwardly it is held against turning movement in the neck l6 as above described. However, at this time the spiral member 5| is only held against turning movement due to the engagement of its shoulders 55 with either the pair of shoulders 22 or the pair 23 and the element 23 is held against turning movement by frictional engagement of contacts arms 43 and 43 therewith and by slight frictional engagement with the outer cover member l3 about the edges of the opening l3.

Therefore'as the push button is depressed it is forced over the spiral member 5| and the latter must enter the push button through the slot 48 in the plate 41 and the latter may not rotate relative to the push button. Owing to the spiral construction of member 5| some part or parts must rotate to permit of entrance of such member into the push button through the slot 48. As the member itself is not positively held against rotary or turning movement it is given a partial turning movement each time the push button is depressed and is given a turning-movement. Owing to engagement of shoulder portions 55 of member 5| with either the pair of shoulders 22 or the pair 23 each time the push button is pushed inwardly the turning movement of member 5| causes a turning movement of the element 23 through an arc of approximately a quarter of a circle.

Then as the push button is released and is moved back to projected position by the coil spring 56 a, reverse turning movement is imparted to member 5|. On this reverse movement shoulder portions 55 have only to ride up the inclines leading to the shoulders 22 or 23 (as the case may be in any particular instance) and snap over the other of said pairs of shoulders into a position facing the same. Since there is little resistance to this reverse movement of the member 5| it is accomplished without any reverse turning of the elenaent 23 and without the use of a heavy spring at 5 Thus it will be understood that on successive inward movements of the push button 44 the shoulders 22 and 23 will be successively engaged and a step-by-step turning movement imparted to the element 23 so that the contact engaging portions 26 of the bridging piece 21 will alternately be brought into and moved out of circuit closing relation with the arms 43 and 43 of the contacts 35 and 36.

In the lower portion of the body below and spaced from the support 23 is an insulating mounting plate 51 (see Figs. 4 and 6) on the upper side of which ismounted two pairs of contacts of which those of one pair are designated 58 and 53 while those of the other pair are designated 63 and 6|. The contacts of the respective pairs are normally in open circuit relation and as relation with contacts 58 and 63 respectively.

All four of these contacts may be of spring metal but at least contacts 59 and 6| are of such metal'whereby they may be forced into engagement with contacts 58 and 63 and whereby they will thereafter move into open circuit relation with said contacts 58 and 63 when released.

Leads 62 and 63 are soldered Or otherwise secured to the contacts 58 and 53 while similar leads 54 an: are similarly secured with the contacts 63 entrance of leads I! and Channel; or openings it are provided for the into the ody II and similar openings or channel 61 are provided for the leads I and II. The pairs oi contacts U8 Now it will be understood that when the push button 44 is depressed as the coil spring 58 is through the element III to the support 29 and the latter along with the element 20 is forced or pressed inwardly of the body ll. Such movement of the support 29 results in the contacts and GI be 60 return to normal open circuit relation with the contacts 58 and fill and at the same time serve to raise the support 29 and the element to their normal positions.

It w1ll now be understood that each time the push button 44 is pressed inwardly circuits are e circuits are completed through the spring contacts 58-6! on each inward push of button N the circuit between contacts 35 and 36 are 1'! in spaced relation to the filament ll.

the filament 1i Filament ll oi the lamp 83 has the lead II to contact 8| connected with one 01' its .ends and its other end is connected with the return wire 19 above mentioned. When the lamps and II are not operating the element 20 will be related to the contacts 35 is without consequences. However, the second operation of the push button causes the element 20 to be rotated another step with the result that of positive operation,

trol more than two lamps. Y

It is further notedthat not only does the switch of the invention provide for the control of a fluorescent lamp or for the control of fluorescent lamps through but operated member but it is particularly noted that the control is exercised through but one maintaining said movements of said push motion of the member. In other words it is the manually-operated member to control the or different motion for the control of the element carrying the bridging piece. A single motion or movement of the manually-operated member is all that is necessary.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a switch, a body, a pair of horizontally spaced contacts in said body, an element mount ed in said body between said contacts for turning movement relative thereto about a vertical axis,

a bridging piece carried by said element and lationship with said contacts on successive downward movements of saidvpush button, a. depressible support on which said element rests, inner and outer normally spaced contacts at the inner side of said support with the inner contact yieldingly supporting said support and said element whereby on downward movement of the push button the pressure on the element resulting from compression of said spring depresses the element and said support to move the inner 01 said normally spaced contacts into engaging relationwith the outer thereof.

2. In a switch, a housing, two pairs of spaced contacts in said housing, a push button associated with said housing, a spring normally push button in a projected position, means bodily shiftable in the direction of movement of said push button'on each inward movement of thelatter to establish a closed oncuit relation between one pair of said contacts and maintain such relation only while the push button is in position compressing said spring a predetermined amoun and other means operable to establish a closed circuit relation through the other pair of contacts on alternate inward such relation on release of said spring.

3. In a switch, a pair of spaced contacts, an element mounted between said contacts for turning movement relative carried by said element and in one position of the latter in circuit closing relation to said contacts and in the other position of the element in open circuit relation to said contacts, a push button at one side of said element, means for translating reciprocating movement of said push button into step-by-step rotary movement of said element whereby on successive movements of the push button in one direction the bridging piece is moved to and from circuit closing relation with impart two diflerent motions to thereto, a bridging piece button and maintain a or contacts at the side or which said push said contacts, a pair said element oppodte that at normally spaced open circuit relation, means movable in the push button on depreslon oi the latter, and said means mounting said element and adapted to be moved thereby in the direction of movement or said push button on depression of the latter to force the second pair of contacts into closed circuit relation.

4. In a switch. a body, a pair of horizontally spaced contacts in said body, an element mounted in said body between said contacts for turning movement relative thereto about a vertical axis, said element and the latter to engage a vertically movable push button above said eiemmt, a spring between the push button and the element and normally maintaining the push button in raised position, means operated by a downward movement of said push button for imparting inimingmovement to said we latter carry said bridging piece into bridging relation with said contacts on successive downwud movements of said'push button, a depressihle support on which said element rests, two pair of normally spaced contacts inwardly or said support and each cominner and an outer contact or which said support and said. element whereby on downward movement of the push button the pressure on the element resulting from compression of said spring desupport to move body of insulating material thereof and a pair of said recess at its contact mounted in each of 5. In a switch, a having a recess in a side he moved thereby closing relation with said spring contact arms, a recess in said body at its side opposite the first of contacts in the secsaid recesses and yieldingly held by one of the pair of contacts in a element, and said means for imparting turning movement to said element including means for pressing against the element whereby to have the latter pressagainst said support and through the latter force said pair of contacts into circuit closing relation.

, HAROLD K. ANDREWS.

and arranged in overlapping position supporting said 

